


The Suite That Never Sleeps

by mysteriol



Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Final Fantasy VII Remake Spoilers, Fluff, Humour, Love Hotel, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:15:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24166465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysteriol/pseuds/mysteriol
Summary: CHAPTER 4 UPDATE. Unbeknownst to Cloud as they arrive at Wall Market, Aerith gets her monthly. Panic ensues when he finds out.She really should stop running her fingers through his hair though, because in the next second, he had stirred awake so fast and caught her wrist in a tight grip.Their eyes met halfway.Ah, she was busted.[ Cloud x Aerith, FFVII Remake, In-game, loosely based on Chapter 9]
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife
Comments: 43
Kudos: 206





	1. Oblivion

**Author's Note:**

> A/N:  
> I wrote this… and then it got too long so decided to make it multi-chaptered. HOHOHOHOO. MAYBE IDK. But yes the title will make sense eventually if you think along the lines of Cloud and Aerith eventually checking in a hotel suite…together..ahem… Wait did I just provide spoilers for my own fic?? Anyway this idea hit me when I myself was drowning in the pains of PMS. LOL. So why not have Aerith suffer with me. 
> 
> Disclaimer: loosely based on chapter 9 Wall Market. Can be taken to be right after CxA emerges from the collapsed expressway and is now on the way to saving Tifa. 
> 
> Myst-san

Cloud was walking too fast. Way, too fast.

Three strides behind, Aerith was struggling to keep up. Given any other normal day, she would have skipped right ahead of the sword fighter like an energizer bunny. Given any other normal day, she would have loved to put those sculpted biceps and self-proclaimed ex-SOLDIER man to shame by prancing ahead of him and leave him in the wake of dust.

But today, unfortunately, was not any ordinary day.

Aerith winced as she felt another sharp pain tug at her lower abdomen. She halted her steps, and touched a hand to her waist, avoiding the tender spot where it was beginning to hurt.

_This, is why I hate being a woman sometimes. Why do we always have to suffer so much! Grr._

She had managed to endure the lightest cramps throughout the treacherous fights they have met with in the collapsed expressway. Hey, it was easy to forget you were bleeding down under when you have a handsome, stunning man beside you who was finally getting a hang of of returning your hi-fives after several futile attempts.

It had been a sweet distraction for Aerith. Watching Cloud crack like a walnut and eventually touching his palm to hers. Well, well, that was unexpected, wasn’t it? That had been enough to make her ignore any excruciating pains stinging at her insides.

But now as the night seemed to stretch on forever and they were still chasing after Tifa, Aerith suddenly wasn’t so sure how long she could endure.

The flower girl sighed. She would kill for a bed and a hot shower right now. Just to lie down, listen to some feel-good music, let her insides bleed out like no one’s business, and close her eyes and drift off into slumber.

Instead, they were heading right into the den of Don Corneo and his sleazy businesses. Wall Market. What joy. Last thing she truly wanted now. The horror. 

“Cloud, wait for me, please?” She pleaded. Her tone was sounding close to a whine. Could she help it? If she walked any faster, she was going to bleed out here in the streets.

 _Ha ha. I’m being ignored. Love it._ Aerith hurried to catch up. “You’re supposed to be my bodyguard, Cloud! Not leave me behind!”

Neon lights greeted her, jarring her vision momentarily. Yep, this was Wall Street alright. Ah, and with all that blinding colours that flashed into her vision, blinding her on the spot, she had definitely lost the blond-haired sword fighter into the night of Wall Market. No sign of spikey blonde hair.

“Just…need a place to sit down.” Aerith’s quiet, tired voice sounded into the air. She brought a hand to massage her abdomen. She was aching everywhere inside and the pains were getting worst. Eyeing her surroundings, she found a bench with Mako energy. She was bursting with inner glee. No sign of Cloud, but benches like this could still save the day.

“Just my luck.” She patted the bench and sunk into it with relief. Good Midgar, she was about to drown in plain misery and agony. Do all women suffer like this every month? She inwardly heard her mother’s nagging to take more vitamins. _“You’re too skinny, Aerith. Eat more before your period kills you every month.”_ Elmyra had been blunt. Too blunt.

A flurry of commotion distracted her from her thoughts. Flight or fight mode activated, Aerith held her pole up to her face. She found herself staring into many pair of eyes. Men. Dodgy men. Who looked like they were scouting the streets of Wall Market for some nightly company. For pleasure, mainly.

“Oooh, look who we’ve got here!” One of them rubbed his hands together in eagerness. It made Aerith sick.

“If it isn’t a beautiful lady! My, My!”

Aerith rolled her eyes. “Go away, please.” She was not in the mood. Neither did she think she could physically fight anymore today.

“Come now, how much, woman?”

That caused her to snap. “Get lost, you dimwit!”

“How dare you—”

Aerith instinctively hid her face with her palms, expecting the men to lash out instantaneously. The blows never came. Her eyes widened in surprise, her ears receiving the sounds of loud punches, followed by the men’s groans and moans.

“Lay a finger on her, and I’ll kill you.”

Cloud!

She was too stunned to react, still taking in the (quite hilarious) sight of the sleazy men oooh-ing and oow-ing in pain on the cobbled floor. Before she could register what had happened, a strong hand had reached out to grip her small wrist, tugging her fiercely out of harm’s way.

“Cloud!” She sputtered. He was pulling her roughly, his fingers locked tight around her wrist. Aerith wasn’t sure if she was shocked by their sudden intimacy, or the fact he had saved her from being punched in the face, or worst, being taking advantage off out in the streets. She shivered from the thought.

He didn’t say a word until they had walked in the other direction for a few good yards. Cloud was stlll grabbing her hand, literally dragging her off her feet with his masculine force.

When they finally seemed to reach the front of a harmless item shop, he turned to her, eyes narrowing in somberness. Gosh, he looked angry. Stern. He finally let her hand go.

“You just disappeared, Aerith. Where were you!?” There was a hard edge to his voice.

“I did tell you to slow down…” She drawled, for once her eyes refusing to meet his. She found the floor suddenly very interesting, her toes swallowing her gaze whole.

Cloud sighed, raking a hand through his hair. “Next time, shout. And try and stay close, okay?”

She beamed up at him, “I’ll try my best, Cloud!”

“Now shall we hurry along and save Tifa?” He was about to turn his back until he caught her sudden wince.

“Of course, Cloud, I understand, it’s just…” she tried to find the right words, “I just can’t walk so fast. Just try and slow down for me, please?”

_Argh, if only periods didn’t hurt like hell!_

His brows knitted in confusion, and suddenly worry. His eyes combed her petite frame anxiously. “Why? Are you hurt, Aerith? Where are you hurt?” A maelstrom of thoughts ran amok in Cloud’s head. He tried to remember where he had missed the signs in the collapsed expressway when they were together. Had some monsters hurt her and he didn’t heal her in time? Had she hid some wounds from him? Where!? _Where, goddamit!?_

Honestly, he had no idea why he was becoming overly compulsive with knowing what was hurting her. But the thought of her being physically unwell…well, just made him thoroughly uneasy.

Aerith hesitated, not knowing how to translate it into words.

Cloud was still the opposite gender, for Midgar’s sake! How do you explain periods and monthly pains to men as oblivious like Cloud who had the emotional range of a teaspoon?

“Uh…It’s nothing, Cloud,” she shook her head, giving her most promising smile, “I’m just tired.”

She wasn’t lying. She was dead tired. She wanted to a bed and comfy, fluffy, white blankets. Oh, and a hot pack to her abdomen. That would make her very happy.

He arched an eyebrow. Cloud took a closer look up and down the flower girl’s frame, making sure he didn’t miss any wounds or bloody scars that he had failed to patch her up along the way.

“Cloud, I’m fine! I just… just don’t walk so far ahead of me ok?”

Cloud squinted his eyes. But Aerith didn’t look fine, now that he was examining her thoroughly. Her face look paler than usual under the moon illuminating her features. She looked flustered, embarrassed. (A little character detail he never thought fitted Aerith well. That meant something was up with her.)

And why was she constantly holding her abdomen with her hand?

“Aerith,” it dawned on him. He reached out to snatch her hand away. “Are you hurt? Is there an injury?” He was looking at her abdomen.

Nope, it didn’t dawn on him, alright, Aerith thought. Cloud was too dense for his own good.

“No! No no no no no!” She took a few hasty steps back and pivoted on her heels. She was burying her face into her palms. Good god, Cloud was starting to panic. Had he said something wrong? Had he done something to hurt her? Or was her injury hurting her!?

_What was it!?_

If exasperation could kill, this was it.

“Aerith, I won’t know if you don’t tell me.”

“I…ah…” She shook her head, then proceeded to ran ahead of him, “April fool, Cloud! Joke’s on you!” 

Cloud stared at the silhouette of the flower girl disappearing ahead. Had he been tricked? Was it even April?

He rolled his eyes. Something was up with her. But he was going to have to forget about it if she didn’t want to tell him. Saving Tifa was going to take priority.

**TBC**

**a/n:**

**COMMENT OR I WILL CLIFFHANG YOU ALL**

lol kidding.. yes this fic is going the multi-chaptered way because it's getting too long and too late where I am so I am going to need to sleep to recuperate. I need a Phoenix Down time. LOL.

myst-san 


	2. Hunger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> STORY UPDATE. Unbeknownst to Cloud as they arrive at Wall Market, Aerith gets her monthly. Panic ensues when he finds out.
> 
> _“Sir, we only have the honeymoon suite left which is not a mixed dormitory. Do you—”  
>  "I’ll take it.”  
> Honeymoon suite? …With Aerith? Oh no. Oh no no no no no. _
> 
> [ Cloud x Aerith, FFVII Remake, In-game, loosely based on Chapter 9]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n:
> 
> Yep now it looks like this fic is going to be more than a one-shot, or a two/three-shot. Let’s see where this ride goes. 😊
> 
> And Square really blew my socks off with Wall Market. While controlling Cloud around, I could not, WOULD NOT, stop oogling at the street food and restaurants everywhere. There was even a Chinese restaurant selling DUMPLINGS and noodles. I was hungry just looking at that and kept interacting with the food vendor to see if I could actually make an order, like how you could taste food in FFXV. I think all that quarantine and lockdown around the world making travel impossible just made wandering around Wall Market all the more surreal and mind-blowing, don’t you think? I knew I just had to feature Wall Market’s food in this chapter.
> 
> Ok I digress. Here we go.
> 
> Myst-san

\-----

She had complained she was extremely hungry. So they had somehow found themselves in a restaurant, eating dumplings.

Cloud had to admit. It smelt delicious; tasted phenomenal. The food here was amazing. And he had severely underestimated Aerith’s appetite. That girl was downing dumplings like she had been famished since she was a teenager. How many dumplings could that tiny frame inhale really?

“Gosh, Cloud,” she had dribbles of dumpling soup trickling down her lips. Cloud fought the urge to wipe them away. Now, why did he even think of that? Silly, silly, silly.

Aerith turned to him, her mouth full, chopsticks in hand. “These…are so delicious! I could eat this everyday and be happy!”

Cloud turned away, hiding a smile threatening the ends of his lips. Aerith’s enthusiasm and liveliness was infectious.

“Eat more, then.” He meant it. He ordered another plate of dumplings, just for her.

“Ah, don’t. Let’s share.” She smiled at him. It turned the insides of his heart over.

“….Ok.” Who was he to say no?”

As they exited out of the restaurant, Aerith had requested to sit on a bench outside. She still looked pale, and tired. But much perkier than before after they had devoured five plates of dumplings.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” He eyed her.

She sunk into the bench, heaving a sigh of relief. Cloud didn’t miss that. He hesitated, then sat next to her.

“I’m alright, Cloud. Just need an excuse to stare at the beautiful stars tonight. Look!” She pointed to the sky. She was right. The world above was illuminating its brightest. Even the stars shone inferior to the moon taking centerpiece attention in the night canvas.

He looked up, just for a second. Then his eyes steadily found her face.

His heart skipped a beat.

A second passed.

Why did she have to look like _that_ under starshine?

He was thankful the night sky was distracting the flower girl from his hard stare. Embarrassed suddenly, he was about to drop his gaze when he noticed her clutching at her abdomen. Again.

His eyes narrowed.

She had been doing that while ago. And now still… 

“Aerith…” He started seriously. “Please tell me if you’re hurt.”

She looked at him, startled, then chuckled forcefully. Red tinged her cheeks, and she avoided his stare. “I’m ok, Cloud. I’ve told you that—”

He put his gloved fingers gently down on her lower abdomen. She immediately flinched and pushed his hand away. “Cloud! Please.”

“You’re hurt, aren’t you?” Worry laced his tone, which had sunk a few notches deeper by now as he examined her. He couldn’t see any visible blood nor traces of scars. But then again, he couldn’t see past that white fabric of her dress.

 _Now wait, what am I thinking???_ If he wasn’t so worried, he would have burnt in embarrassment.

“Cloud,” she brushed his hand away, put it tenderly back into his lap, “I am fine.” She insisted.

“You’re not.”

“I am.”

“Not.”

“Am.”

“Aerith—”

“Argh—” She stood up, turned to him, a look of fluster and exasperation mixed all into one evident on her face. “Cloud! I’m just having my period, and it hurts like crazy, ok?”

Cloud went very still.

_Huh? What?_

_What?_

_…WHAT?_

“There! I said it, happy!” Aerith palmed a hand into her face, “God I’m so embarrassed. But I can’t help it, Cloud. I tried my best to keep up with you just now but you were way too fast, and it was hurting so bad and I just really need to sit down and rest for bit and not move and oh gosh I just want to lie in bed and forget about the pain—” she was rambling on and on. Cloud looked on in wonder and fascination. Did all flower girls do this mesmerizing ramble when they were embarrassed and nervous?

“…Is that why you were so hungry, Aerith?”

Now, Cloud, had utterly _zero_ idea why he had asked that, of all damnable questions to ask.

“Oh my god,” She buried her face into both hands now, “I must have looked like I haven’t eaten in a week to you just now. How attractive.”

Cloud sighed slowly…letting it all in. The pieces fell into place now. Why she had looked so tired, so worn out, so hungry…and often embarrassed whenever he pried further on the reason. And she had constantly been looking at her skirt as if worrying there was something there.

“You could have just told me, Aerith.” He sighed. He had a habit of raking his hand through his hair when he was exasperated.

“I just thought…” She found her toes interesting. “Well, you know…”

“Well what? That you think they don’t teach us about women and fertility in SOLDIER?”

“Cloud!!” She cried out.

 _Jeez…_ He stood up, hatched his sword to his back. “Let’s go.”

Aerith looked puzzled. “Huh, go where?”

“Let’s find you some place to rest. Properly. ” The look he gave her dared her to refuse.

“Uh…” She looked around their environment. “Here, Cloud? I don’t think we can find any lodging better than a mixed dormitory… and I don’t want to be rooming with dodgy men—”

“We’ll find something that works. Let’s go.” He was tugging at her arm again.

…He was making a habit out of it lately. Pulling her to places.

Not liked he minded. Not a bit.

\-----

“I already said. I don’t want a mixed dormitory room. No, not even a single sex dormitory with ensuite bathroom facilities,” Cloud was _this_ close to throttling the hotel receptionist, “No strangers.” The thought of someone, _anyone,_ laying a finger on Aerith, horrified him.

“Well, Sir…you’re making it difficult for us—”

Cloud touched the hem of his sword, narrowing his eyes.

That lone action sent the receptionist into a state of panic.

“Ahhh!! Yes, good Sir, we just happen to have one more room left that isn’t a dormitory. It’s a private room, but Sir, it will cost you—”

“I’ll pay.” _I don’t care how much._ The sight of pale, tired Aerith clutching at her abdomen was making him more anxious by the minute.

“Ahhh, good, thank you, Sir! It’s 5000 Gil for the honeymoon suite, Sir! With the best ensuite bathroom facilities and the best comfy double bed for your and your lovely lady!” The receptionist hurried to key in Cloud’s guest details.

_Wait… What? Honeymoon suite?_

Now the receptionist looked irritated, waiting for Cloud to provide a surname and his deposit as payment. “Sir, we only have the honeymoon suite left which is not a dormitory. Do you—”

“I’ll take it.”

_Do not blush, do not blush, Cloud. Swallow that colour down your throat- RIGHT NOW!_

Very, very strange thoughts were fleeting through his mind. Thoughts that were making him feel very, very hot in this chilly night.

_Honeymoon suite? …With Aerith? Like a double bed? Ensuite shower?_

Oh no. Oh no no no no no.

Aerith would kill him when she found out.

And she did.

“What!?” She looked ready to pounce on him. “Oh gosh, Cloud,” and she had proceeded to burn fifty shades of crimson. Even Cloud as dense as he was had not missed that timeless expression on her face.

“You needed to rest.” He said simply. Then went on, “But don’t worry. You use the room. I have no intentions of being in there with you. I’ll just go to a restaurant and have maybe a supper until you’re ready and rested. Then I’ll come back and find you.”

_Aaahh…??_

Cloud. Such a gentleman. As always. Aerith wanted to giggle.

“Cloud, Cloud, Cloud…” She sighed, “What am I going to do with you?”

“Uh,” he shrugged, “you take care of yourself first, why not.”

She flashed the hotel guest card in his eyes. “Here, bodyguard, you take this. You paid for it. I can’t.”

She shoved it into his hands.

W-Wha?

“It’s your room, Cloud. I can’t do this. I don’t want to look like I used all your hard-earned merc Gil just to recuperate. Nu-uh,” she wagged a finger, “I can just find a Mako bench out there and sit for a while. I’ll be fine, relax!”

_Why was she so goddamn stubborn?_

“You take the room, Aerith.” He pushed her hand holding the hotel card away.

“No, you.” She insisted.

“Aerith.” He warned.

“Cloud.” She mimicked with equal sternness.

_That’s it. Let me go to hell for this. Mom, if you’re up there watching, please don’t hammer my head into the ground._

“Let’s…let’s just use the room ok, Aerith? I promise I won’t even lay a finger on you.” He gestured his hand to his body, as if to make a point, “One meter distance. If that gives you the confidence.”

Aerith considered this. “Well… you do have a point. After all you were taking one too many beatings in the collapsed expressway on the way here and could really use a proper rest…hmm.”

A silent moment. One second, or two. Cloud held his breath.

“Okay, let’s go!” She agreed enthusiastically, “Physical distancing, remember, Cloud!”

She pulled his arm into the direction of the hotel lobby before he could change his mind.

He stared down longingly at their intertwined hands.

Physical distancing?

…Sure as hell looked like it.

_It was going to be a looooong night._

-

**TBC**

Comment/review… else I will use that same old I’m-gonna-cliffhang-you-guys-here threat again LOL

Ok but seriously… you know what to do 😉 winks

Myst-san


	3. Suite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER 3 UPDATE. Unbeknownst to Cloud as they arrive at Wall Market, Aerith gets her monthly. Panic ensues when he finds out. 
> 
> All she had on was her summer white dress. Barefoot, standing three steps away from him, her wet hair fresh from a shower.   
> Any normal, sane man would be hypnotized, and Cloud…  
> ….Cloud was only human and a man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:  
> Lalala here comes Chapter 3 in which I enjoy torturing Cloud and his hormones a lot. (tosses confetti!) it’s been almost a week since I’ve finished Remake and it is quite obvious that I am still not over these two. I doubt I will be until Square gives us the ending we want in Remake part 2/3 or however parts Square knows might be! A happy one of course for our beloved bodyguard and flower girl. 😊   
> Your comments about wanting Cloud/Aerith to spoon/cuddle/bed-share I’ve read them all and they made me giggle HEHEHEHE. (The fluff! The cavities!) You guys made my day.   
> Disclaimer: once again too lazy to beta-read… insert the i-am-old-and-semi-retired-so-deserve-all-right-to-be-lazy excuse here.   
> Myst-san

Cloud sat still, _very_ still.

He had not dared move in the span of the last five minutes since they had checked into the room. The hotel was not joking when they labelled this the ‘Honeymoon Suite’. Every angle, every sight he took in as he scanned the room, had embarrassingly screamed cheesy romance into his face.

White and inviting the blankets and duvet had looked, there was no mistaking the toss of floral petals sprinkled across the bed. The pair of lovey-dovey swans made out of hand towels sat right in the middle of it all. Cloud didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the absurdity of this whole situation.

Oh, and _how courteous_ of the hotel staff to so blatantly, wittingly place a whole box of suspicious looking squarish packages right smack in the middle of the heart shape the towel swans were making with the arch of their cranes.

 _Condoms._ Much to his chagrin. Cloud’s form went very frigid. He felt air whooshed out of him. He could not stop his cheeks turning beet reed.

_Mom, if you’re up there looking down at me, please do not think I have failed you as a son._

“Well, um,” beside him, Aerith was having difficulty stifling her small giggles, “I guess this is why it cost you 5000 Gil, isn’t it, Cloud?” She couldn’t control the fits of laughter she broke into next.

Despite himself, Cloud had to look away to hide the tiniest of smile spilling across his face.

Aerith was right. If he wasn’t feeling so flustered, this whole entire scenario was hilarious, bordering on ridiculous.

He was still trying to place his thoughts (everything was happening too fast), when Aerith took the liberty to delve right into the duvet. She was vocal about her glee.

“Big, fat blankets! My favourite!” She proceeded to exhale with a cheerful sigh, savouring the moment her back hit the bed. “This…this can’t be real.” She was rolling on her side, smiling up at him. “Thank you, Cloud.”

“Uh,” he said intelligently, mind still in mush, “Go ahead and rest up then, Aerith.”

Every bit a gentleman, he scurried to the armchair nearby and dove into it. Partially in relief, partially in breathlessness. From what? He didn’t know. All Cloud was aware of was how his heart was thudding so loud in his chest. A sudden humidity enclosed around his neck, making him feel very light-headed.

It wasn’t as if this was his first time staying in hotel rooms with lone female companions. Jessie. Tifa. Strangers from his past days he vaguely recalled. Solely businesses. Partners. Purely for the merc money.

…Nothing like this.

Aerith had kicked her boots off the bed. She sat up suddenly, her eyes round. Cloud tried not to notice how green those orbs were.

“You alright for me to take a shower, Cloud?” She looked so innocent.

Cloud blinked, his heart thudding loudly in his ears until he thought he would suffocate, “Uh…”

The hotel receptionist hadn’t lied about the ensuite shower and bath. There was a door adjacent to the bed that led into the bathroom.

Cloud flushed another shade deeper. _Shit_. He hoped the dimmed lights of the room weren’t going to betray his otherwise panic-stricken state to the flower girl. He would never live it down.

“G-Go ahead.” He managed to sputter.

_Smooth, Cloud, slick and smooth._

And so that was how he found himself sitting very still five minutes later, not having moved an inch since Aerith stepped into the shower. He could hear _everything._ The sounds of the showerhead water running. Aerith singing in the shower as she cleaned herself.

Her voice was his undoing. His skin tingled, crawled under his flesh and stayed there.

Cloud buried his face into his hands. _Someone needs to shoot me alive, right now._

He was losing it. Maybe he was having a heart attack. Or maybe he had over-exerted himself too much earlier the day. Was he suffering from fatigue? Exhaustion? That’s it! Did the restaurant spiked alcohol into those dumplings? Maybe that was why he was feeling so hot and feverish all over. Maybe he was drunk. Maybe that was why his heart couldn’t stop thudding loud and fast. 

His heart caught in his throat when he heard the bathroom door click open.

Aerith stepped out.

Speechless, he stared.

She was running a towel through her wet hair. Fresh from a shower, it was the first time Cloud had seen her hair let down. Was it ever this long, and thick? What was it with her looking so refreshed from a shower that made her so fetching in this ashen night? The scent of her strawberry shampoo hit his nose, sending his senses into red alert. When Aerith padded barefoot towards Cloud, his throat unexpectedly felt very dry.

“Heya, Cloud, are you going to take a shower, too? I’ve turned on the heater for you.” She smiled and nodded towards the direction of the switch above the bathroom door to indicate her point.

“Uh,” his head was still searching his lexicon for a coherent vocabulary, “Uh, maybe later.” He lamely finished.

It was hard to think when he took in how dainty and exquisite, she looked without her red jacket on. All she had on was her summer white dress that reached below her knees. Barefoot, standing three steps away from him with her wet tresses flowing down the sides of shoulders, any normal, sane man with working hormones would be hypnotized by such beauty.

And Cloud was only human and a man.

_Beauty?_

_…So you admit she’s beautiful._ A voice teased in the back of his brain.

Even his consciousness was mocking him.

 _Of course she is. Shut up._ Now Cloud was losing it and talking to himself. Things weren’t looking up.

She really, _really,_ needed to stop looking at him like that.

He stood up, the urge needing to get away from her peaking at an immense high. If he so much looked at her again…

He turned on the room television on mute to distract himself. Cloud suddenly decided to find the buttons on the remote control very interesting. “Just…just go rest up, ok?”

“Ok, Cloud. I’ll just take a quick nap, and I promise we’ll be out and about finding Tifa again for you, ok?” She held out a pinkie finger to him.

He stared at it, not returning the gesture.

Right, he had forgotten why they were at Wall Market in the first place.

“Take all the time you need,” then his tone dropped low, “Are you feeling better?”

“Hmm, not quite yet!” Aerith proceeded to dive into the blankets with a burst of giggles and wrap the soft material around her. She had made herself to look like a worm in a cocoon. “Now I am! Ahhhh, it’s so fluffy I’m going to die.”

 _She’s being silly._ Cloud resisted rolling his eyes.

 _Really, Cloud? Then why are you smiling like an idiot?_ His inner voice tackled him mercilessly.

He caught himself. _Am not._

Just as quickly the smile tilted the edges of his lips, it dissolved, leaving only a trace of a twinkle in his Mako-infused eyes. Something warm seeped into his chest as he stared at Aerith, still wrapped deep in inches and inches of thick blankets. He could only see her head popping out of those white sheets now.

His eyes softened.

“Wake me up, ok, Cloud?” Aerith yawned, stretching her arms out.

He watched her. (Although he remembered warning himself not to give her a second look.)

“Go to sleep, Aerith. Do you need anything else?”

“Hmm…” She was already closing her eyes, turning on her side so she could look at him in his armchair properly even as she drifted into slumber. “Maybe…more…dumplings?”

Her lids grew heavy and her voice trailed off. She mumbled something like “Ramen…would be nice. Soba…hot udon…” In a second, she was fast asleep, snoring softly.

If his eyes had grown soft watching as sleep claim her, then he didn’t know how else to make out of the emotion singing in his heart making it flip over. Once, twice, many more times as each second passed.

He didn’t dare move. As if doing so would break the spell and this dream would be all over, and Aerith would no longer be right in front of him.

Cloud moved his gaze to the windows of the suite.

The moon shone.

Funny, in such a bleak tragic present that he found himself in, fighting battles in and out everyday and doing his best to survive in the slums just like everyone else, here – here, he felt safe. Warm. And… the feeling that he could take on the world all over again renewed him and refreshed him better than any good night’s rest.

Cloud found himself suppressing a yawn. He stretched out his limbs in the armchair. The hotel was outdoing itself every minute. He fidgeted with the buttons on the chair and it was instantly doing massage ministrations all over his aching, tired body. Wow, he was impressed. 

He would just take a power nap.

Checking one last time that Aerith was safe, and sound, fast asleep within his sight, Cloud succumbed to sleep.

For the first time in a long while, he felt… _peace._

_So this is what home feels like._

\----

**TBC**

* * *

a/n:

there.. if it isn’t fluffy enough for you maybe the next chapter will. 😊

myst-san


	4. Awaken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER 4: AWAKEN
> 
> She really should stop running her fingers through his hair though, because in the next second, he had stirred awake so fast and caught her wrist in his tight grip in a startle.   
> Their eyes met halfway.  
> Ah, she was busted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:  
> well here we go.. are we ready for the last chapter!?   
> (Inhales)   
> noooo I guess this means Cloud and Aerith's short detour in the honeymoon suite is coming to an end. 
> 
> thanks for sticking around till this chapter! I hope it continues to be cavity-inducing for all of you; sweet like chocolate, and fluffy like white blankets. 
> 
> myst-san

He was jolted awake by a soft whimper. 

_Aerith._

In a heartbeat, he was by her side. He had never moved so agilely, not waking to wake her. “Aerith?” He called out in a whisper. He knelt by her side, resisting the urge to touch her face to find out what was wrong. She was still sound asleep. Silence lingered in the air, broken shortly after when she let out an almost inaudible groan, then exhaled a faint sigh. 

Aerith tossed in her sleep, rolling at her side so he could now fully see her face. The moonlight glistening through the window highlighted the femininity of her features. Here, she looked so vulnerable, yet at the same time so… enrapturing. It made his heart ache. Under moonshine, she was an arresting sight. Every other women in Wall Market shriveled in comparison. That – Cloud was certain. 

“Aerith, are you unwell?” He probed. This time, he managed to let a palm fall onto her forehead out of concern. “Are you sick?” 

He didn’t want to wake her. But if she wasn’t well—

“Silly, Cloud…” She drawled, her words coming in short, quiet breaths, her whisper thick with sleep. She opened an eye lazily, meeting his gaze. Her fingers reached out to touch his face. Where they grazed, they burnt holes under his skin in a manner he hadn’t anticipated. It took all his willpower not to pull away. “Just…cramps.” She mumbled in response, dropping a hand and resting it on her abdomen, over the blankets. “Don’t…Don’t laugh, ok?”

“I’m not laughing.” He answered seriously.

Aerith nodded weakly, still clutching her sides. She didn’t have the energy to respond.

Cloud felt uneasy. He was used to cheerful, silly, playful, energetic, even bossy Aerith. But not this. He wanted to do _anything_ to change it.

“Can I help? In any way?” He asked lamely. Honestly, he wasn’t sure what people of his gender did to make the opposite sex feel better in this monthly situation. He racked his brains to think of any past experiences he might have gone through before, but came up with absolutely nothing.

For someone so highly regarded and skilled in battles boasting a huge sword down his back, his years of extensive knowledge and an arsenal of skills were basically rendered useless in this circumstance. Materia and a ton of elixirs or potions could jolly well do shit to make Aerith feel better.  
  


Her palm moved against his cheek. Cloud turned static. Aerith had placed a finger against his lips. Her touch torched him.

“Sssh, Cloud…”

“O-Okay.”

He spent the next five minutes watching her ease back uncomfortably into slumber, one hand still clutching at her side. It was obvious from her occasional grimaces that even in semi-consciousness, she was dreaming of pain.

There must be something he could do to fix this…this abominable womanly pain!

Cloud’s eyes scouted the hotel room, and settled on the phone.

He hurried to it and looked through the phone numbers listed on the desk. He thumbed down the list. A blur of numbers scrambled into vision, before he finally found what he was looking for.

There. _Found it._

Room service.

* * *

“Cloud?” Aerith sat up in bed, rubbing sleep out of her eyes. She wiped the last beads of perspiration from the side of her head. In her sleep not devoid of physical pains, she had frustratingly tossed the blankets once fluffily wrapped around her form down to the ground.

The ex-SOLDIER was nowhere to be seen. Puzzled and slightly disoriented, Aerith was about to move when she let out a tiny gasp in her alarm. A familiar gloved hand appeared in her line of vision, resting on the white sheets by her side.

She looked on in wonder, realization dawning. Her emerald eyes traced its owner. A soft glow settled onto her face.

Cloud had fallen asleep next to her sitting on the floor, his forehead resting on the soft edge of the bed comfortably, arms enfolded around his spikey hair.

_Had he been watching her sleep all this time?_

“Cloud…” Aerith whispered, eyes acquiring a tender look. She didn’t want to stir him awake. Poor man looked completely exhausted. He had it rough today after all - falling through her church roof, helping her escape from the Turks, lending a helping hand to the Sector 5 locals who might need a merc, fighting those long battles in the collapsed expressway, and now having to save his friend in danger from Don Corneo’s clutches.

And then Aerith’s monthly visitor had of all days, decided to cause a ruckus…So now they were here, stuck out in a hotel’s honeymoon suite, wasting precious time instead of going after Tifa.

 _Sorry about that, Cloud._ Her fingers grazed the strands sticking out of Cloud’s spikey blonde hair. It made her smile inwardly. He was so dreadfully handsome. Especially now asleep, without his sword by his side, he looked so boyish…so endearing. She combed through his hair in slow motion, as carefully as she could without messing anything out of place. If there was anything Cloud was more protective of his sword, it was definitely going to be his inches-long spikey hair.

Men would be men, Aerith mused lightheartedly.

She observed the sleeping man. He looked so young under the moonlight. He barely made a single noise. She wondered what he dreamt of. Most likely about looting monsters, upgrading weapons, buying Materias… wasn’t that what men like Cloud usually dreamt of?

She really should stop running her fingers through his hair though, because in the next second, he had stirred awake so fast and caught her wrist in his tight grip in a startle. 

Their eyes met halfway across moonlight.

Aerith held her breath. Ah, busted, she was.

“Sorry?” She offered lightly, her voice small and suddenly shy. It was unlike her.

Cloud said nothing. He shivered from her sheepish gaze, breaking under her spell. The feel of her fingers stroking his hair as he rose awake had unnerved him. He suddenly longed for her to touch his hair again, to run her delicate fingers through and soothe his soul.

He unbounded himself from her magic.

“You’re awake.” He managed. His voice was low, and soft. Not rough, in the least.

Her beam was his weakness. Thank Midgar he was sitting down. His knees would surely give way.

“Thank you, Cloud!” She mimicked the biggest stretch she could give, “Now I’m ready to get back out there in the sleazy streets of the Wall Market night!” She pumped both fists up vivaciously into the air as convincingly as she could.

He cocked an eyebrow at her, “You sure about that, Aerith?”

“Never better.” She flashed an earnest smile, sincerity encircling her heart-shaped face. “Promise, Cloud.”

“…Good.” He meant it.

That was when Aerith spotted something unusual on the desk in front of the TV. They weren’t there before…

She squinted, then gasped in surprise and disbelief.

It was a whole push-cart of trays stacked with food after food. The widest array of gourmet selections – from dumplings, gyozas, plates and plates of sushi piled atop one another, and topping it all off, a piping bowl of hot ramen.

“Oh…my god.” She couldn’t hide her astonishment. “What’s all this, Cloud?

Her growling stomach answered for her at the promptest moment.

Cloud bit back a laugh.

_Truly, she was adorable._

“You are famished, aren’t you?” He shrugged off her stunned silence. She was still taking in the tantalizing sight of food selections before her eyes. “If I was going to make my 5000 Gil worth it, I might as well order the complimentary room-service.”

“Cloud,” she broke into laughter, her eyes twinkling with mirth, “You. Are. Brilliant!”

He allowed himself to look smugly at her. “Hn, I know.”

In which she returned a playful punch at his shoulder, “Show-off.”

This time, their banter was broken off by another stomach growl that was certainly not from Aerith.

She giggled at Cloud’s boyish embarrassment. “Race you to see who eats the most?”

He narrowed his eyes at her, not seriously. A sparkle had lit up in the set of Mako blue eyes. “You’re on.”

Cloud never backed down from a challenge he could win, not even if it came out from the words of one extremely beautiful, overly enchanting, utterly mesmerizing, thoroughly bewitching Aerith Gainsborough.

As he found himself shoving one delicious dumpling after dumpling into his mouth, trying not to laugh outwardly at the hilarity of Aerith stuffing her mouth bloated herself, he had caught sight out of the corner of his eyes the hotel mirror reflecting back his image.

He was smiling. Truly, genuinely. For the first time in many, many miserable years.

His eyes broke contact with the mirror. He caught himself holding his breath. Catching him entirely off guard, Aerith had leant over to wipe the soup dribbling down the corner of his lips.

His heart swelled, his brains turned into goo. Her fingers left a trail against his skin that scalded all the way to the back of his hair. 

_Forking out 5000 Gil... for a memory like this to keep forever?_

…Priceless.

**OWARI**

* * *

A/n;

NOW I can finally sleep in peace LOL

All that writing about Cloud and Aerith eating dumplings is making me hungeryyyyy. I've literally just gone to my stash of food hiding in the corner of my room to devour some snacks. Right before bedtime! 

Anyhow I think this makes it the end of my 4 part story… comment/review! You know you make my day when you do that. =)

MYST-SAN


End file.
